Drying apparatus



June 19, 1956 c. GARBUIO DRYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1953 INVENTORI (Dar b uu 0 June 19, 1956 c. GARBUIO 2,750,682

DRYILNG APPARATUS Filed May 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI CCLTO Go b hwken United States Patent DRYING APPARATUS Carlo Garbuio, Treviso, Italy Application May 12, 1953, Serial No. 354,460

Claims priority, application Italy May 17, 1952 5 Claims. (Cl. 34-225) The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for drying articles.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a process and apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like.

Considerable difficulty is encountered with known processes and apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, because the drying usually takes place so rapidly that a considerable part of the articles, such as bricks and the like, become cracked.

One ofv the objects of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage by providing a process and apparatus for drying the articles more gradually with a warm moist air which has a humidity less than that of the articles being dried.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for drying articles by mixing the air in only one chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to dry articles with air and smoke from a furnace so that such air and smoke, which would otherwise be wasted, is put to good use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of accomplishing all of the above objects and at the same time being of a simple construction and providing reliable service for a long period of time.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of an apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, this apparatus including a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located and a circulating means communicating with the chamber for circulating warm and humid air therethrough so as to gradually dry the articles in the chamber.

Also, with the above objects in view the present invention mainly consists of a process for drying articles such as bricks and the like, this process including the steps of placing the articles to be dried in a drying chamber, continually feeding air of more than atmospheric temperature and humidity and of less humidity than the articles to be dried into the chamber, and continually discharging from the chamber air of a greater humidity than that fed into the chamber.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary partly sectional diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary partly sectional elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse diagrammatic sectional view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.

As is evident from the drawings, the apparatus of the invention includes a shed-like structure having a pair of elongated areas 0 (Fig. 1) extending through the structure and provided with tracks r for guiding carriages, carrying articles to be dried such as bricks and the like, into said areas. Each of these elongated areas 0 is divided into a row of drying chambers each of which is formed by a pair of opposite side wall portions e and 7, a top wall portion 6 and end wall portions d. The side wall portions 2 and 7 and top wall portions 6 of each row of chambers are continuous, and each end wall d is common to the pair of chambers located at its opposite sides. Moreover, each end wall is substantially in the shape of an inverted U so that the carriages may roll through the row of chambers.

A partition 8 is connected to the opposite end walls of each chamber, is located adjacent to and spaced from the top wall 6 thereof, and terminates short of the side walls e and 7 thereof, as is evident from Fig. 3. Each top wall portion 6 is formed with a pair of openings 10 located on opposite sides of a vertical central plane parallel to the side walls e and 7, and a fan 9 is mounted on the partition 8 between the latter and top wall 6 and between the openings 10, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, a fan 9 is provided for each chamber, and depending on the direction of rotation of fans 9, which are reversible, air will be drawn through one of the openings 10, will pass through the fan around the partition 8 between the latter and one of the side walls e or 7, across the chamber where the articles to be dried are located, and through the space between the partition 8 and the other of the side walls back toward the fan 9, air being forced out through the other of the openings 10 on the pressure side of the fan 9. In other words, part of the air drawn through fan 9 comes through the opening 10 located on the suction side of fan 9 and from the drying chamber, and air is forced from the chamber through the other opening 10 located on the pressure side of the fan.

Plates 3 and 5 extend along each chamber between the end walls d thereof and have a curved diaphragm h connected thereto so that the parts 3, h, and 5 form a fluid guiding means for guiding drying air transversely across each chamber. A set of the parts 3, h, and 5 are located at the opposite sides of each drying chamber.

The plates 3 are each connected to one of the side walls of each chamber and the top wall thereof to form a corner space 4 separate from the space in the rest of the drying chamber, and these corner spaces 4 communicate with each other through suitable openings in the end walls d (not shown) and through suitable piping extending across the chambers, over the top walls thereof, for example, so that the air in these corner spaces may all flow to a number of chimneys u distributed along the shed and communicating with some of these corner spaces 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A plurality of pipes 2 are located in each chamber adjacent the opposite side walls thereof, extend vertically therein, and are connected to the plates 3 to empty into the corner spaces 4. These pipes 2 are fed from a duct system 1 located beneath the tracks and extending upwardly along opposite sides of each chamber, as shown in Fig. 3, this duct system being supplied from a central header [1 with products of combustion from a furnace, not shown, so that these products of combustion will flow from header b, through the duct system 1, through the pipes 2, through these corner spaces 4, and out through the chimneys u to the atmosphere. Thus, the heat from the products of combustion is given up to the air circulating transversely through the several drying chambers.

As is evident from Fig. 3, the header [1 is located centrally between and below the inner side walls 7 of the two rows of drying chambers. The space S between these walls 7 communicates with the space of the shed beneath the roof t thereof and located over the top walls 6, this space 0 forming an air mixing chamber to which air flows from the drying chambers through one of the openings Iii of each drying chamber and from which air flows to the drying chamber through the other of the openings 10 of each drying chamber, suitable valves (not shown) being provided at the openings 1i if desired.

Warm dry air is drawn from a furnace (not shown) into the air mixing chamber 0 along the piping 17 in the direction of arrow W by the fan 16 which is supported on one of the Walls 7 substantially at the level of the fans 9, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, this warm dry air is located above the moist air which settles to the bottom of chamber 0 between the walls 7 so that it does not mix with this moist air.

A duct 11 extends along the central bottom portion of the part of chamber 0 located between walls 7 and is provided with a plurality of inlets controlled by valves 12 and through which the moist heavy air enters the duct 11, as shown in Fig. 2. A duct 13 communicates with duct 11 and has a fan 14 connected thereto and discharging through a suitable tube passing through the roof I at portion 15 thereof so that the moist air is drawn from the air mixing chamber by this fan 14. Thus, the parts l6, 17 form a fluid conveying means for conveying warm dry air into the air mixing chamber 0, while the parts l115 form a fluid conveying means for convey ing moist air from the air mixing chamber 0 by way of the space S which communicates therewith.

As is evident from Figs. 2 and 3, the inner side walls 7 are each formed at spaced portions located adjacent the bottom thereof with openings 18 communicating with the interior of the drying chambers for inspection of the drying chambers. It will be noted that the pipe 17 passes between a pair of drying chambers, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 1.

The several fans 9 may have independent motors re-- spectively connected thereto and connected by any suitable wiring to a source of current, and the fans 14 and 16 are also individually driven by separate motors (not shown). Any suitable automatic temperature and humidity controls may be provided to automatically regulate the temperature and humidity of the air in the air mixing chamber 0. The air drawn from the chamber 0. into the drying chambers is heated by the pipes 2 and passes transversely across the several drying chambers to dry bricks or the like located therein. This air in chamber 0 is preferably maintained by operation of the fans 14 and 16 at a temperature and humidity above atmospheric temperature and humidity but below the humidity of the articles being dried. Thus, the warm moist air supplied to the drying chambers will gradually dry the articles therein to prevent cracking thereof. The air discharged from the drying chambers is considerably moistened by the moisture carried olf from the articles eing dried, and this exceedingly moist air settles downwardly along the space S of the chamber 0 to be carried off through the duct 11.

By proper control of the fans 14 and 16 as well as valves 12 so as to control only the condition of the air in chamber 0, it is possible to obtain an equilibrium condition where the fan 14 carries moisture oif from cham-- her 0 at the same rate that is supplied to the chamber 0 articles to be dried are first placed in the drying chambers they come in contact with a fairly moist air, and the humidity of the drying air gradually decreases as the articles are dried so that the moisture of the drying air is always less than that of the articles being dried and so that the danger of producing cracks is eliminated while at the same time a fairly rapid drying process is provided.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of drying process and apparatus differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in drying process and apparatus for drying bricks and the like, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential char acteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, comprising, in combination, a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located, said drying chamber having a top wall formed with a pair of openings and having a partition located in said chamber adjacent to but spaced from said top wall and terminating short of opposite side walls of said drying chamber; an air chamber located above said drying chamber and communicating with the latter through said openings; means communicating with said air chamber for maintaining the air therein at a predetermined temperature and humidity; and a fan located between said partition and top wall of said drying chamber and between said openings of said top wall for circulating air about said partition and through said chamber, whereby moist air will pass to said air chamber through one of said top wall openings and whereby air of said predetermined temperature and humidity will be drawn into said drying chamber through the other of said top wall openings.

2. Apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, comprising, in combination, a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located, said drying chamber having a pair of opposite side walls and a top wall formed with a pair of openings respectively located on opposite sides of a central plane parallel to said side walls, and said drying chamber having a partition located adjacent to but spaced from said top wall and terminating short of said opposite side walls of said drying chamber; an air chamber located above said drying chamber and communicating with the latter through said openings; means communicating with. said air chamber for maintaining the air therein at a predetermined temperature and humidity; and a fan located between said partition and top wall of said drying chamher and between said openings of said top wall for circulating air about said partition and through said chamber, whereby moist air will pass to said air chamber through one of said top wall openings and whereby air of said predetermined temperature and humidity will be drawn into said drying chamber through the other of said top wall openings.

3. Apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, comprising, in combination, a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located, said drying chamber having a pair of opposite side walls and a top wall formed with a pair of openings respectively located on opposite sides of a central plane parallel to said side walls, and said drying chamber having a partition located adjacent to but spaced from said top wall and terminating short of said opposite side walls of said drying chamber; an air mixing chamber located above said drying chamber and communicating with the latter through said openings; first fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying dry warm air thereto; second fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying moist air therefrom so that the air in said air mixing chamber may be maintained at a predetermined temperature and humidity by said first and second fluid conveying means; and a fan located between said partition and top wall of said drying chamber and between said openings of said top wall for circulating air about said partition and through said chamber, whereby moist air will pass to said air mixing chamber through one of said top wall openings and whereby air of said predetermined temperature and humidity will be drawn into said drying chamber through the other of said top wall openings.

4. Apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, comprising, in combination, a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located, said drying chamber having a pair of opposite side walls and a top wall formed with a pair of openings respectively located on opposite sides of a central plane parallel to said side walls, and said drying chamber having a partition located adjacent to but spaced from said top wall and terminating short of said opposite side walls of said drying chamber; an air mixing chamber located above said drying chamber and communicating with the latter through said openings; first fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying dry Warm air thereto; second fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying moist air therefrom so that the air in said air mixing chamber may be maintained at a predetermined temperature and humidity by said first and second fluid conveying means; a fan located between said partition and top wall of said drying chamber and between said openings of said top wall for circulating air about said partition and through said chamber, whereby moist air will pass to said air mixing chamber through one of said top wall openings and whereby air of said predetermined temperature and humidity will be drawn into said drying chamber through the other of said top wall openings; an elongated plate located in said drying chamber and being connected to said top wall and one of said side walls to separate a corner space of said drying chamber from the rest of the space therein; a plurality of pipes extending vertically in said drying chamber adjacent said one side wall, being connected to said plate and communicating with said corner space so that a warm gas flowing through said pipes will heat air passing about the latter and will flow to said corner space; and conduit means communicating with said corner space for conveying a gas therefrom.

5. Apparatus for drying articles such as bricks and the like, comprising, in combination, a drying chamber in which the articles to be dried are adapted to be located, said drying chamber having a pair of opposite side walls and a top wall formed with a pair of openings respectively located on opposite sides of a central plane parallel to said side Walls, and said drying chamber having a partition located adjacent to but spaced from said top wall and terminating short of said opposite side walls of said drying chamber; an air mixing chamber located above said drying chamber and communicating with the latter through said openings; first fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying dry warm air thereto; second fluid conveying means communicating with said air mixing chamber for conveying moist air therefrom so that the air in said air mixing chamber may be maintained at a predetermined temperature and humidity by said first and second fluid conveying means; a fan located between said partition and top wall of said drying chamber and between said openings of said top wall for circulating air about said partition and through said chamber, whereby moist air will pass to said air mixing chamber through one of said top wall openings and whereby air of said predetermined temperature and humidity will be drawn into said drying chamber through the other of said top wall openings; an elongated plate located in said drying chamber and being connected to said top Wall and one of said side walls to separate a corner space of said drying chamber from the rest of the space therein; a plurality of pipes extending vertically in said drying chamber adjacent said one side wall, being connected to said plate and communicating with said corner space so that a warm gas flowing through said pipes will heat air passing about the latter and will flow to said corner space; and conduit means communicating with said corner space for conveying a gas therefrom, said conduit means including a chimney communicating with the outer atmosphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,225,350 Tavani et al. Feb. 5, 1918 1,413,135 Rees Apr. 18, 1922 1,539,230 Anderson May 26, 1925 1,587,419 Rhoads June 1, 1926 1,697,556 Colbert Ian. 1, 1929 1,773,675 Hartford Aug. 19, 1930 1,955,374 Cobb et al. Apr. 17, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 435,027 Italy May 7, 1948 

